Zero Tactics
by JumpyFTW
Summary: She's just a simple tactician girl, unless with more dark secrets underneath. Rated T for violence, romance, and language. Story follows FE: Awakening. AU-ish, but may contain spoilers for both games. Not that obvious, but go get True Ending first, just in case.
1. June

**DISCLAIMER: _Zero Escape: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors_ and _Fire Emblem: Awakening_ each belong to Chunsoft, Aksys, Nintendo, and Intelligent Systems. Also references from other series and fanfics that belong to the original owners, including my brother. I edited the cover picture by myself, but the original pictures I got still don't belong to me. The Junpei and Akane ones were from screenshots of the game, so they still belong to Chunsoft and Aksys. While the Gaius one was found on Tumblr, it belongs to the original artist. I only own the story itself and maybe some OCs later on. Please understand, and support the official release.**

* * *

June 22nd, 845 AD.

It was a sunny day.

"Uagh!" a teenage girl named Lissa suddenly stumbled on something—no, someone. "Chrom! There's someone here!"

Chrom, an adult man nearby, went to the spot where Lissa was currently at. Frederick, the other adult man, followed him.

They saw the person who was lying on the ground. It was a girl. She seemed younger than Chrom, but not that far. Her hair was brunette, like Frederick's. Her eyes were closed, as if she was sleeping, or maybe even fainted.

"Chrom, we have to do something!" Lissa said to him.

"I suppose what do we have to do?" Chrom asked her.

"Uh, I don't know," Lissa lifted her shoulder.

As if she was overhearing the conversation of the two, the girl lying on the ground slowly opened her eyes. She slightly grunted.

"Ah…" Lissa and Chrom were relieved knowing the mysterious girl had just woken up. Lissa asked the girl, "Are you okay?"

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know," Chrom said to her. Then, he gave a hand to her and said, "You need help?"

The girl just speechlessly looked at Chrom with a blank stare, and then she reached Chrom's hand. Chrom helped her got up.

"Are you alright?" Chrom asked the girl, after she finally stood up with her own legs. The girl simply nodded.

The girl slightly smiled. She stayed silent for a while. Then, half-consciously, she mumbled with only a slight voice that could barely be heard.

"Jumpy…"

"'Jumpy'?" Chrom was confused. Hearing Chrom's reaction, the girl was confused as well. She said, "Eh? Uh… sorry, I…"

"It's alright," Chrom dismissed. "Anyway, my name is Chrom."

The girl merely hummed.

"The delicate girl over here is my little sister, Lissa," Chrom looked at Lissa.

"HEY, I'M NOT DELICATE!" Lissa objected her brother.

"And the one with armor over here is Frederick the Wary," Chrom looked at Frederick. "So what's your name?"

"My name is… uh…" the girl somehow didn't know how to answer Chrom's mere question. "I, uh… I don't… remember… my name…"

"You don't?" Chrom was confused. "You remember 'Jumpy' but not your own name?"

"Yeah… somehow…" she responded. "I don't… remember… anything else… either…"

"Oh, I know this!" Lissa exclaimed. "This is called amnesia! I read it on a book!"

"Hmmm…" Frederick thought. "That's a blasphemous claim. She's actually quite suspicious, milord."

"But you remember 'Jumpy'?" Chrom asked again.

"Yeah…" the girl answered. She looked down on the ground. "Oh."

"What is it?" Lissa reacted.

"I remember now," the girl answered. "My name is June."

"June?" Chrom asked. "Like, the month of June?"

"I guess so," June said shortly.

"You guess so?"

"Goodness it's the Shepherds who found you," Lissa continued. "Brigands will be a rude awakening."

"Shepherds?"June was confused.

"Yeah, that's what we are," Lissa responded.

"Milord, we can't just believe her claim," Frederick advised. "Suddenly remembering her name like that, what if she's a brigand herself? Or even a spy?"

"Let's not worry about that, Frederick the Wary," Chrom replied. "Just let her be. You can stay with us if you want, June."

Chrom walked away, as Lissa, Frederick, and June followed him.

* * *

"HELP! HELP US!" sounds of begging were heard by Chrom's pack. The sounds came from a village nearby. The village was on fire. Many people scattered, looking for help.

"The villagers are in trouble!" Chrom was the first one to react.

"We have to help them!" Lissa added.

"But how about June?" Frederick interrupted.

"Unless she's on fire as well, it can wait!" Chrom answered Frederick as he left to the village. Lissa and Frederick followed him.

June, with nowhere else to go, simply followed the three people that had left. "Oh, uh, okay."

* * *

**Battle Area: [Southtown]**

**Victory: Rout the enemy**

Chrom, Lissa, and Frederick arrived at the village.

Chrom pulled out his [Falchion], the royal sword that had been inherited from generation to generation, until it was on his very hand. He also had a [Rapier] as a backup, a [lord]-exclusive sword. Chrom attacked one of the brigands with the Falchion. It wasn't a lethal attack, but enough to weaken him. The brigand counter-attacked him.

Frederick only brought a [silver lance], but it was enough for him as a [great knight]. He knocked out the previously weakened brigand in one shot.

June who just arrived later than the other three drew both her [bronze sword] and a [thunder] tome. "Wait, is that… a tome?" Chrom was confused seeing her. "You know magic?"

"Uh, yeah…" June answered, with lack of certainty. "I can help, right? Anyway, Chrom. I think you better use the Rapier for now, since it has better accuracy than the Falchion. Both swords deal the same damage, so…"

"You know about Falchion?" Chrom asked her.

"Uh uh. Somehow, in this battlefield I can 'see' things."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, like, the amount of enemy, their weapons, the areas in their reach, their overall power… I must've studied this sometime before. Oh, Frederick can counter the [myrmidon] over there. He's the only one who has 100% accuracy at this point."

"And how am I supposed to trust you?" Frederick asked her, still distrustfully.

"Just do it already!" June scolded him.

Lissa, the unarmed [cleric], only had a [Heal] staff with her. She said, "We'll see who's delicate. I maybe not able to fight, but who's gonna heal the others when they're wounded? You just tell me where to go, June!"

"I guess you can heal Chrom by now," June told her. "Don't worry. You're still outside the enemy's range."

"Okay!" Lissa then went to Chrom and healed him with her staff.

"Thanks, Lissa," Chrom said to her.

"Anytime!" Lissa replied happily.

June herself then ran to another brigand—a [fighter] with [bronze axe]. She pulled out her thunder tome, but she thought, "The accuracy is less than 85%. There's a likeliness to miss. I guess I'd better use my sword."

June drew her sword instead. She attacked the brigand right next to her. The brigand was wounded quite badly, but he could still attack June back. "Waaah!" June yelped. "Little help here!"

Chrom ran next to her. Before he attack the brigand, he asked, "June, should I use the Rapier or Falchion at this point?"

"Still Rapier!"

Hearing June's answer, Chrom simply pulled out his Rapier and knocked out that brigand.

"Uh, Lissa?" June called the cleric.

"Okay!" Lissa responded as she ran into June and healed her.

"Thanks."

Meanwhile, Frederick moved to a particular empty spot. It was like he found something over there. "Hmmm, I'd better pick up this before someone stumble on in," he said.

**Frederick found an [Ephraim's Lance].**

"Hey, Chrom," June said. "Maybe we can battle next to each other. We can cover up each other."

"Maybe you're right," Chrom replied. "We'll be stronger together."

"No, like really," June corrected him. "We can support each other's powers. Strength, defense, speed…"

Both June and Chrom ran to another brigand. This time, they attacked from long distance. June used her thunder, and then Chrom ran closer to slash with his Rapier.

"It's like June has been our tactician since forever," Chrom talked to no one particular, maybe himself. "Our strength makes us strong, and our bond stronger."

"Frederick, you can help Chrom to handle the final one over there," June told Frederick. "Lissa, just come closer here."

Lissa came closer to June, while Frederick and Chrom went to the [barbarian] who led the brigands.

"Here, sheepy, sheepy," the barbarian mocked Chrom and Frederick. "Come to the slaughter."

Without taking more time, Chrom attacked him with Rapier. That brigand countered Chrom. But Frederick could still fell him with the silver lance.

"Now that's the final of them," Chrom said.

**STAGE COMPLETE!**

* * *

"June, you're amazing!" Lissa complimented her. "Swords, sorcery, tactics… is there anything you _**can't**_ do?!"

"Ha ha ha, stop it, you," June slightly blushed. "It's nothing, really."

"But that doesn't mean we will just trust you that easily," Frederick denied. "It still isn't a decisive proof that you're telling the truth."

"Okay, I understand your skepticism," June was simply annoyed. "But seriously, Frederick. Why would I lie about my memories?"

"She's telling the truth, Frederick," Chrom replied him as if to defend June. "She helped us fighting those brigands. That's enough to me to believe."

"Uh, okay," June hesitated.

"But Milord," Frederick hadn't finished his talking, but he stopped anyway, somehow. He just sighed.

"Milord, I quite realized that the brigands spoke with Plegian accent," Frederick said.

"Plegian?" June asked, confused.

"Ylisse's western neighbor," Frederick answered her. "Apparently they have been sending brigands to the villages in Ylisse. This is the third time this month."

"And the victims are the innocent villagers," Lissa pouted.

"Thank you, Sir," said one of the villagers. "Thank you very much. You may stay here tonight, if you may."

"No, thanks," Frederick refused politely. "We appreciate your offer, but no thanks."

"Oh, I really appreciate it. Really. You don't have to—" Lissa happily accepted before she realized. "What? Are you saying we're not staying?"

"No, milady, we will just camp tonight," Frederick told her. "Besides, I thought you're the one who said that you would 'get used to it'."

Lissa pouted hearing what Frederick said, while June simply giggled.

"Good," Frederick said. "Shall we go, then?"

"Sure," Chrom answered lightly.

* * *

"Finally," he said. "I can feel our connection again."

"Wut?" the other man next to him asked.

"This time I promise I will find her," the first man spoke to himself without noticing the second man. "I'll just transmit a message to her, and then she'll reply me. That's how I will find her."

* * *

_Yay. Apparently I was serious to make a 999 crossover with Fire Emblem.__Wait, am I really the first one to make 999 x FE fanfic here? Anyone?_

_Well, of course this won't be just a story of an avatar named June. It's gonna be the real June of 999. Also there _**will**_ be plot point for other 999 characters. I promise._

_P.S. if you're reading this, I just wanna say, "Let's save Zero Escape 3."_

_P.S.S. (or P.P.S? Whatever) feel free to review :) _


	2. Hidden Faces

The sky was black with glitters scattered all over it. A big round lantern was watching over four people in a forest. They were formed around a flame that gives them warmth to protect them in the cold.

"Waaaaah!" Lissa cried. "Isn't there anything else to eat?!"

"Sorry, Lissa, but no," Chrom answered.

"But I don't want bear meat!" Lissa complained. "It smells like old boots! Can't we just eat any normal meat, please?"

"You may not like it, milady," Frederick told her. "But you said that you would 'get used to it'. If we were in a real war, we could no longer afford to be picky."

"Oh yeah? I don't see you eating anything, Frederick," Lissa sarcastically told him.

"I had plenty of lunch today," Frederick defended himself.

"We had lunch together, Frederick," Chrom objected. "You didn't eat anything on this afternoon either."

Frederick remained silent.

"Sorry, June, I hope you'll be fine with bears because…" Lissa was talking to June before she realized that June was eating the bear meat like a wyvern starving.

"Whoa," Lissa was overwhelmed by who she was seeing. "June, you're… uh…"

"She hadn't eaten anything for like, days, after all," Chrom said to Lissa as if to justify June. "At least I think so."

"It's hard to believe that such a woman…" Frederick was overwhelmed as well.

"Haaaaah…" June exhaled. It was a relief of overcoming her mass hunger. Then, she switched her eyes to the three companions. They look, somehow, dumbfounded.

"What's wrong?" June asked them clueless.

"Er… uh…" they had no idea how to answer her. "It's just… you eat like that…"

"Is it wrong?" June asked again, still clueless.

"No, it's not wrong, it's just…" Lissa was confused. "It seems strange if a young woman like you eat bear meat that greedily."

"But I can see if you're starving," Chrom said. "You were probably unconscious in quite long time, so it's tolerable for you to eat that much."

"I don't think so, milord," Frederick objected. "Even a barbarian possessed by demon shall not eat bear meat that way."

"Possessed by demon?!" June was shocked hearing Frederick's description about her eating manner. "That's exaggerating! Now _**you're**_ blasphemous!"

"It's alright, June," Chrom dismissed both of them as if to save June from further embarrassment. "Don't mind him."

"Do mind me," Frederick countered Chrom. "Your claim of losing your memories is just—"

"Blasphemous!" June cut him talking. "Yeah, okay, I get it! You also called me barbarian possessed by demon. That's very blasphemous of you, Frederick. Why, thank you!"

"Oh, come on, Fred," Chrom tried to act friendly to his lieutenant. "She's a good person. She helped us fighting those brigands to save villagers."

"You're so naïve, milord. I'm starting to think that anyone, even a Plegian criminal can join the Shepherds only by helping an elderly crossing the streets."

"Seriously, Frederick. I mean, where else can we get such an able tactician? It's actually good that June is on our side, not Plegia. She's a precious asset for any possible kingdoms. Why are _**you**_ so distrustful to people?"

"I'm not merely distrustful, milord. I'm just staying wary and cautious."

"Okay, okay!" June tried to dismiss both of the young men. "I'm just going to sleep, then." June leaned her back to the ground and cuddled with a yarn-made human-shaped doll inside her grip.

"Uh, can I see that doll?" Lissa asked her.

"Doll?" June responded. "Oh, you mean this one? It's… uh…"

"Be careful, milady," Frederick warned her. "She might have stuffed some kind of peculiar weapon inside that doll."

"Why would she, Fred?!" Chrom protested. "Why would anyone, really? It's just a doll!"

"Yeah, Frederick! Why would she?!" Lissa agreed her brother.

"Well, you can search this doll if you want," June challenged Frederick. "I'm not hiding anything. As long as I can remember, at least."

"Which isn't very long time ago," Frederick replied. "You might have stuffed the weapon _**before**_ you lost your memories. That if you actually lost it."

"Fine! Go ahead!"

Then, Frederick took the doll by force from June's grip and he already prepared his lance.

"Behold! Milord, milady," Frederick warned Chrom and Lissa as he stabbed right at the doll's chest—yes, he did—with his lance. Both Chrom and Lissa were astonished by what they just saw. However, their reactions were nothing compared to June's.

"NOOOOOO…!" June shrieked as she took the doll away from Frederick and back into her grip. "Just… what are you thinking?!"

Chrom, Frederick, and Lissa were only dumbfounded.

"Weapon?! What weapon?!" June showed the fillings of that doll—which was nothing except stuffed cottons. There was nothing sort of weapon like Frederick was thinking. "Does this look like a weapon to you?!"

"Well, you might just muffle milord with those cottons to suffocate him," Frederick cleverly, but not cleverly, assumed.

"Shut up, Fred the Wary. You're not helping," Chrom said to him. "Anyway, June, calm down. It's just a doll. Stop howling like you're attacked by wolves."

"No, it's not!" June protested. "It's not just a doll, it's…" June didn't continue her sentence. Her tongue felt like tied, somehow. "It's a…"

"What is it, then?" Chrom asked her.

However, the asked one remained silent. Same as the other three companions who were just looking at her.

"I… don't know…" June continued her sentence, but slowly, and with a small voice.

"Is the doll's name Jumpy?" Lissa asked her out of nowhere. June reacted with a simple, "Eh?"

"Or is Jumpy the one who gave you that doll as a keepsake?" Lissa asked again. "Maybe it's even both. That's why you remember Jumpy, and it's not just a doll to you. Because 'Jumpy' is your special someone and he gave that doll to you. Am I right?"

June looked down. She held the doll tighter and closer to her chest. She was silent for a while, and then she said, "I… don't remember…"

"It's alright, June," Lissa tried to comfort her. "Maybe you'll remember it someday."

"Crying over a mere doll," Frederick sneered. "What are you, nine?"

"No, I'm blasphemous!" June answered sarcastically, and then she ran away. "That's it! I'm out of here!"

"June, wait!" Chrom tried to chase her.

"Milord!" Frederick called him.

"No, Fred! You take care of the campfire! We go get June!" Lissa shouted at her bodyguard.

"'We'?" Chrom was confused.

"Come on, Chrom!"

* * *

"Hmph, call me blasphemous one more time!" June talked to no one as she was already far enough from the camping place. "How rude of him!"

She looked at the doll again. Its face looked sad to her, probably because Frederick hurt it badly. Seeing the sad doll, June was also sad. She hugged the doll tighter.

The doll was made of yarn. It looked like a human. Its eyes were two big blue buttons, stitched to the front part of its round head. A violet ribbon was tied around its neck. Its torso was originally fluffy and solid, but now it had a whole big wound with its internal cottons scattered due to the stabbing did by Frederick. Its limbs were weak and lifeless.

June held her doll even tighter, as if to comfort it. Or maybe it's just herself. She muffled her own cheeks so she looked like a blowfish.

* * *

"Waaah, where did she go?!" Lissa cried as she and Chrom were still searching the forest to look for June. "June! Where are you?!"

Suddenly they found something else up in the night sky. "Chrom, what is that?!" Lissa gasped and she was surprised. While Chrom remained silent. He was hypnotized before he realized several people came out from the giant glowing hole.

No… they aren't people… what are those…?

Two of those… _**things**_ went to Chrom and Lissa. Both pulled out their axes. Chrom countered one of them with his Falchion. It was a critical hit that one shot the opponent.

While the other one walked to Lissa's place. "KYAAAAA!" Lissa screamed as she tried to defend herself with her staff. She blocked the axe with the staff.

In the other hand, a mysterious masked person also went out from the very current hole. He quickly managed to defend Lissa by blocking the opponent's second axe strike with his sword.

* * *

June was facing three people—no, _**things**_—that were getting close to her. One of them took its bow and shot an arrow towards her. She quickly dodged the arrow and countered the attack with her thunder. Her attack was a lethal bull's eye.

June drew her sword when suddenly her legs felt heavy. She could feel her whole body raising heat. Her head was throbbing. She had already fallen to the ground before she realized. She grunted in pain as her trembling hands lost their grip to her sword and held her head instead.

_What is this… feeling…?_ She thought to herself. _What is… happening… to me…? My body… hurts… why…? Why did this… happen?_

"H, help me…" June's pale, drying lips begged as they were shaking because of whatever happened to her body. Her throat felt like tied by some kind of magic spell. Her breath raced faster than a wolf. Her eyesight was blurred, distorted her wet eyes and her consciousness about to lose. "Jumpy… help…"

* * *

"HELP!" the masked swordsperson begged Chrom who wasn't far from him and Lissa.

Chrom was dumbfounded in a split second, and then he realized he had to help the mysterious individual who was currently in stake. He drew his Falchion to attack the thing that was trying to attack his sister and whoever on earth was trying to protect her. The Falchion was glowing, but its wielder didn't seem to care. Then, both Chrom and the masked person slashed their swords each. The thing then was down in one shot.

* * *

A person with black hooded robe and bandage all over his face slashed the other two things before they could lay their weapons on June, who was already in bad circumstances. Despite of him helping June by knocking the enemies out, his presence made June's condition even worse instead. She cried as her head starting to hurt much more than it already had. That individual then took a bottle of [elixir] from his pocket and forced the poor girl to gulp a dose of it. He dropped the bottle as she coughed due to her speed of drinking.

June's breath started to stabilize. Her previously heated body cooled down. Her shaking hands were now steady. The elixir had taken away whatever the pain that was consuming her body. Then, she noticed the individual who gave hand to her to evade her possible death at that time.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Why did you help me?"

Instead of giving the answer June expected, the shrouded person pulled over the glove on his right hand, simply to check her forehead. Then, he got up and walked away from her.

"Wait, where are you going?!"

Ignoring June's question, he stopped at a particular tree. He bent down and took something that was lying on the ground.

"Oh, my doll?" June asked that shrouded person who gave it to her. "I accidentally dropped it? Well, thanks."

June accidentally smiled to him. She took the doll back and held it in her arms. Before she realized, the shrouded person's right hand already touched her cheek as if he was about to kiss her. June was dazed. Her face turned pink like a bon-bon.

* * *

"Milord! Milady!" Frederick called Chrom and Lissa as he ran to them. "Are both of you alright?!"

"We're fine!" Chrom answered his lieutenant.

"Where's June?!" Lissa asked to no one particular as if only to remind her original objective with Chrom. "Where is she?!"

"June!" Chrom called her as he continued searching the forest.

Then, June heard Chrom yelling her name. His voice was loud enough to bring her right back into reality. She looked away from the shrouded man as if to find where the voice source was. She answered half-shouting, "I'm here!"

"Are you okay?!" Chrom asked her again.

"I'm fine!" the younger lass answered. "I'll go get you guys!"

Then, she took her doll, moved on to catch up with Chrom's group, completely forgetting about the shrouded man and left him behind, and found out that more of those things, the same kind of her assailants, were also around there.

She looked up to the sky. The giant glowing hole where they came from was already gone.

* * *

**Battle Area: [West of Ylisstol]**

**Victory: Rout the enemy**

June switched her eyes. She saw two peculiar buildings not that far from her standing spot.

"Are those abandoned forts?" June asked to herself.

"Yes, June," Frederick answered, somewhat he heard her.

"Oh, well then," June said as she moved to one of the forts. She was about to attack the enemy that was quite far, but still in her range. She pulled out her Thunder, but then she complained, "77 percents?! Really?"

Realizing bad accuracy for using tome, she went out of the fort to attack the enemy with sword instead. The damage was quite big, but her opponent hadn't just been knocked out yet. It could still counter-attack her.

"Chrom! You go inside the fort!" June commanded. Chrom went to another fort that was closer from him as the tactician told him to.

"How about me?" Lissa asked June.

"You stay over there, that's the outside zone," June told the cleric as she pointed at a peculiar spot. "Frederick, you go with Chrom! I'm fine on my own!"

Frederick went to Chrom's spot, as he lethally attacked an enemy that was close to him and Chrom.

"Captain Chrom!" someone who just came by called Chrom's name. It was a woman—_**she**_ may not really look like one, but really, it's a woman. Her hair was red with a manly cut—this is why _**she**_ doesn't really look like a woman. She came with a horse; apparently she was a [cavalier]. "Sorry if I'm late!"

"Why, greetings, ladies and gentlemen," said someone else not too far from them who had just come too. His signature was the ruffles on his neck. "I had come to offer hand to you in this very battle. May I ask the name of yours, milady?"

"The name's Sully," the woman—yes, the woman, answered his question. "Who the hell are you?"

"Ah, Sully. What a beautiful name of yours," he was amazed by Sully's 'beauty'. "It is a perfect picture of your angelic look. It is I, Duke Virion. Now, will you marry me?"

"Will I what?" Sully didn't really get Virion's request, but then she got it and replied, "Oh, that. Of course not. Gotta go, Ruffles!"

Sully left Virion all disappointed, dumbfounded, and shocked in one. "Wait, milady! Are you not charmed with my perfection of vanity?"

"Shut up, will ya?!" Sully scolded him. "Seriously, who the hell are you?!"

"Frederick, do you know that man?" Chrom asked his lieutenant as he was still fighting the enemies.

"I'm afraid that I don't, milord," Frederick answered.

"How about you, June?" Chrom asked again.

"You ask me? Really?" June responded him sarcastically.

"Who the hell is that?!" Sully asked the same thing again, this time she was pointing at June.

"That's June, our new tactician," Chrom answered.

"Yes, a random stranger who we found in the middle of nowhere just this afternoon," Frederick continued. "And she blasphemously claimed that she lost her memories. Despite of that, she helped us fighting brigands, then milord decided to keep her with us."

"Ah… a tactician woman, is she not?" Virion seemed like charmed by Frederick's description. "She must have astonishing wisdom and deep knowledge along with her gorgeous face figure."

"Are you hitting on her?" Lissa asked confusedly. "I mean, you were just hitting on Sully few moments ago, and now it's June. That's just kinda… uh…"

"I'll go get Lissa!" June interrupted as if to stop the others from arguing about such pointless stuff. "Sully, take my place! Ruffles, stick with Chrom and Fred!"

"Did you just call me Fred?!" Frederick protested.

"Did milady mean myself when she called Ruffles?" Virion complained as well.

June went to Lissa's spot. Then, Lissa used her staff to heal June's wounds. Lissa asked June, "How about Chrom? Is he gonna be okay?"

"So far, yeah," June answered calmly. "He's still in the fort right now. He should be recovering by himself now."

"Good!" Lissa smiled.

But now she saw an [archer] was coming right after them. "Yup, I just put Lissa in enemy's range," June spoke out her inner voice. "Let's kill that one, Sully!"

"Ditto!" Sully confirmed.

"Let's attack it from close range," June gave her strategy. "Archers can only work on long range, right? Then, I'll counter that one with Thunder, and you can help me with your lance."

June then prepared her tome to attack the enemy with it. She didn't forget to check the accuracy first. "86? I guess I can live with it." She attacked the enemy with Thunder, and then Sully drove her—yeah, _her_ [bronze lance] right into that thing's chest. "Go to hell!" Sully swore as she critically knocked out her opponent.

"I am Virion, the archest of the archers," Virion started bluffing again. "I am the man who puts 'arch' in 'archer'. I am myth and legend! I am he who strides large across history's greatest stage!"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" June dismissed him. "Go get the one with axe over there! Chrom will cover you!"

"I shall do as you request, milady," Virion obeyed the tactician. He took his bow and shot an arrow to the axe wielding opponent. Chrom who was quite close from him used his Falchion to slashed the very opponent. But the enemy could still stand such damage, and it chose to attack Virion because he wouldn't be able to counter close-range attacks.

"Virion, you go get Lissa!" June told him. "Frederick, take care of Chrom!"

"Don't you dare to speak as if milord is merely a young child who can't help himself!" Frederick protested again as he finally killed the axe user with his lance.

"Well, what is such a young dear delicate lady like you doing in the middle of battlefield?" Virion asked Lissa who was outside the enemy's range after she healed his wounds.

"I'm a healer," Lissa answered. "I can't really fight, but I'm the one who heal the others with my staff when they're wounded. But hey, I'm not delicate!"

"You do not have to deny, milady," Virion told her. "I am the very man who shall be protecting you. I shall not let a delicate lady like you bear any wounds."

"I SAID I'M NOT DELICATE!"

Meanwhile, Sully just found something on the ground. She said, "Hey! Who left this crap lying around?!"

**Sully found a [Glass Sword].**

"Try to use it! Try to use it!" said June cutely and impatiently. "It's quite powerful. But it's also fragile. You can only do three strikes with it, and it'll break."

"Heh," Sully replied sarcastically. "Why not?"

Sully quickly slashed the newly found sword at another enemy. As June said, the sword was powerful enough to make a one shot on the enemy.

While there are still another one who was already getting towards Lissa and Virion's spot. The masked person who previously defended Lissa appeared again, and killed the monster before it could lay a finger on Lissa.

In the other hand, June could still handle one-two enemies that were surrounding her. However, she got quite damage from the battle. Then, she quickly ran towards Lissa's place. But suddenly another of the enemy blocked her way.

This thing was kind of different from the other ones. It looked more ferocious. Its hair was very long and voluminous. "Urgh… aaaargh…" it roared.

June was shocked seeing that monster right in front of her. The monster flew its [hand axe] all sudden towards her. Fortunately she was quick enough to block the attack with her sword. But her dropping stamina that time was also reducing her energy. She almost let go off her sword and let the axe chopped her until something else happened.

The shrouded man suddenly came out of nowhere and slashed the monster with his sword before it could land its axe on June. When the enemy was about to strike again, he quickly pulled June into his arms that she couldn't react much but gasped. Then he stabbed his enemy with his sword.

Sully who wasn't far from them quickly drew her glass sword and slashed the final monster. As the monster died to the attack, it was the final strike for the sword. The glass blade then broke.

**STAGE COMPLETE!**

* * *

June went back to her consciousness. She found out that her head and her hand was already lying on a man's chest—it couldn't be a woman after all. Her body was inside his arms. She looked up to figure out who was holding her _**that**_ close. Then she knew that it was the shrouded man who was previously around there.

"T, thanks…" June thanked him nervously. Her face turned red like an apple. Neither her breath nor her heartbeat was under her control. "Thanks for… saving me… the others too…"

The shrouded man looked back at June—that if his eyes could see a thing through those bandages. He uncovered his bandages—only the part that covered his mouth and didn't particularly reveal his face, as he slowly, softly pressed his lips right onto hers.

The kiss tingled June's nerves, despite of the fact that her kisser was merely a stranger with shrouded face. Before she realized, her whole body was already moving on its own. She couldn't help but closed her eyes, and kissed him back. Her left hand was still holding her doll. Her free right hand was put on his neck. The shrouded man himself who was glad that his hands were free held June's slender waist and pressed her body closer to his, so they could deepen the kiss. Their bodies were so close with each other. There was nothing between them that night, except the doll June was holding close to her chest so she wouldn't drop it accidentally. June could feel his lips were cold. The summer breeze was still warm that night but their kiss just felt… cold.

* * *

"Hey there!" Lissa called the masked swordsperson. "Thanks for saving me!"

"Can I know your name?" Chrom asked him.

"You can call me Marth," the masked person answered.

"Marth? Like, the Hero-King?" Chrom asked again. "Anyway, thank you for helping us fighting the enemies. Also for saving my sister."

"You are welcome," Marth answered. "It is an honor to help you."

Marth then left Chrom and the others. Frederick asked Chrom, "Milord, are you sure we can just let him leave like that?"

"It's alright, Frederick," Chrom told him calmly. "He helped us fighting whatever those things were. It's enough for me to believe him."

"But that doesn't mean you can just let your guard down, milord," Frederick said again. "This is exactly how you act towards June, too."

"Are you saying I have to suspect that either you or Lissa may harm me in the future?"

"No, milord. I'm just saying that you have to be aware when it comes to strangers. For example, the turquoise-haired man who suddenly appeared and help us."

"The turquoise-haired man? Oh yeah, him. What's his name again, uh…?"

"Virion it is, my dear sir," Virion suddenly came out of nowhere and answered Chrom. "And you must be Sir Chrom of Ylisse, if I am not wrong."

"Well, you're not."

"Yes, Sir Chrom. I would like to stay with your army, if you do not mind."

"I don't have any problem about having you being one of the Shepherds. So you can stay."

"Shepherds? Are we tending sheep here?"

"Well, yes."

"Milord, what did I just tell you about countering strangers?" Frederick objected Chrom.

"Calm down, Fred," Chrom eased him. "He's a decent archer. I think we should keep him."

"And should we keep June too?"

"Sure."

"June? Ah yes, the tactician lady, is she not? She is very skillful at making strategies during a war. She has also an intriguing beauty, I may say. In fact, she is probably the most beautiful woman of the three women I just met tonight in this very battlefield. Keeping both of us with Sir Chrom here will sure make the army stronger."

"Shut up Ruffles, no one likes you," Sully sarcastically told him.

"Forgive me, milady!" Virion begged. "Be not jealous! Both Lady June and you are beautiful women. I sure cannot deny the beauty of the youngest and most delicate lady too!"

"How many times I have to tell you?!" Lissa was pissed off. "I'M NOT DELICATE!"

"_Speaking about June_, where is she?!" Chrom asked everyone else to dismiss the arguing.

* * *

The shrouded man slowly took off his lips from June's. He let his arms off of her. He stepped backward from where June was standing. June who was still dazed nervously asked him, "Who… who are you…? What are you doing here…?"

Her voice was small, shaking. The shrouded man could hear her. He only glanced at her, and then he walked away, leaving her alone. Just like that.

June remained silent. She didn't move any slight from there, as if she was under a magic spell that held her right in her place.

Who was he?

How could he immobilize and possess her with merely a kiss on lips?

Why was his face shrouded with bandages? What would happen if anyone sees his face?

But without finding out the answers from her questions, Chrom's voice already broke her subconscious side. He apparently came with the others.

"June! Here you are!" Chrom said. "Are you alright?"

June simply nodded.

"You look tired," Lissa commented about how her face looked like. "I guess you need some rest."

"Rest?" June's mind was still wandering in her fantasy world, but then she went back into reality and said, "Oh yeah. You're right, Lissa. I guess I do need some rest. A lady needs her beauty sleep after all. Hahaha…"

"Eh? Lady?" Chrom was dumfounded hearing June's sentence.

"What is it, Chrom?" June asked him. "Did I say anything wrong?"

"No, no, it's just, uh…" Chrom didn't know how to answer June. "You don't seem like a lady to me."

"Wha—what do you mean?!"

"I, uh, don't really see you as a 'lady'. A 'lady' to me is prim, proper, perfume… pretty too… uh, nothing like you at all. It's just…"

Chrom wasn't finished yet until he saw June acting different. "Uh, June? What are you doing with that rock?"

"I guess _**you**_ need some rest too, Chrom!" June replied angrily. "How about a head shot?! Maybe it'll fix your eyesight!"

"No, June, wait! I was just joking! Hahahahahaha…ha?"

"Keep your hands away from milord!" Frederick commanded the angry girl.

"But, but," June who still had her common sense lowered the rock. "Okay…"

"Let's just continue sleeping here, everyone!" Frederick then changed the topic. "It's already safe here!"

"Okay…" Lissa dismissed.

As everyone else already went to sleep, something else kept June awake. Her mind was still stuck in that night. The cold night that she swore that she would tell no one ever.

She kissed someone's cold lips. And she _**liked**_ it.

* * *

"Hey, Bubbles, can I see that notebook?" A man asked another man next to him.

"You mean this?" the second man who was reading a notebook responded, but he realized, "Hey, did you just call me Bubbles?!"

"Yup," the first man answered care freely. "So what?"

"Uh… I'm not sure if I can actually let you read it. I don't think you'd believe the contents either."

"It's just a notebook, right? Come on…"

"*sigh*…" he just gave that notebook to him. He couldn't see why not, though.

The other man took the notebook. He lifted the brown leather-made cover. He traced page by page flipped one after another. When he arrived at a peculiar page, he reacted, "…Wut?"

* * *

_I don't exactly know about the real definition of 'shroud'. I only conclude it as 'bandage all over face'. It's not Funyarinpa, so it's still tolerable for me not to know the definition, right? I'm kinda OU-ing the word 'blasphemous' now. Thanks to Funyarinpa lol._

_Anyway, the meteor shower in Chapter 1 cut scene wasn't really explained, now that I think about it._. Because after that it's just Risen came out, and then there's 'Marth', nothing actually relevant. See? A plot hole!_

_Since battle scene is kinda hard to portray—although I'm still forcing myself anyway, it may not seem legit to you and you're like "Is this a battle or what?" I'm not sure about the real number of the enemies, what their classes are, and how a battle goes. Turns? Screw it. Real-time wars don't take turns. As if I care about something such as 'procedural game logic'._

_Snake and Virion are kinda radiating the same aura, somehow. Of course Snake is the better version, because he keeps himself poised and low-profile instead of shamelessly hitting on any_ _passing by females. Am I the only one who thinks so? Nope, I don't really hate Virion, don't get me wrong. He's kinda laughable actually. Despite of my Virion ended up forever alone, though. Oh, R & R if you may :) _


	3. Shepherds, Risen, and Teach

June 23rd, 845 A.D.

The sun had just shown off its happy face.

"Welcome to Ylisstol!" Lissa exclaimed happily. "The capital of Halidom of Ylisse. This is where we live!"

"Whoa…" June was amazed seeing the city.

"What? You never saw a city before?" Sully asked. "Did you live in a cave or what?!"

"It's not that, Sully," Lissa clarified. "She just doesn't really remember how a city looks like. Am I right, June?"

"Um, pretty much," June answered.

As the group walking, June's eyes looking around stopped at a woman passing by. June's first impression about her was a poised queen. She radiated a very graceful aura. Her side-curled hair was blonde, like Lissa's. She had some kind of birth mark on her forehead, kind of reminds her of the very same symbol at Chrom's right forearm he kept showing off. She was with another woman who was armored.

"That's Lady Emmeryn for you," Frederick told the curious girl. "She's the exalt of Ylisse."

"Exalt?" June asked. "You mean like, the queen?"

"Yes, kind of that," Chrom answered.

"Is it really safe for her to walk around commoners like this?" June asked again.

"She's fine, June," Chrom clarified. "She's guarded by her bodyguard."

"The people around here sure like her a lot. She's so friendly to the others."

"Yes. She's the symbol of peace," Frederick added. "Long time ago, there was a fell dragon who tried to destroy the world. The first exalt defeated the dragon. Then, the exalt ruled the halidom with peace. And until now, Ylisse is a peaceful realm."

"Whoa…" June was amazed by the story. "That's amazing."

"Yes! Emmeryn is sure a great exalt and a great sister too!" Lissa added. "We're so lucky to have her!"

"Well yeah, she sure is!" June agreed her. But after she got the 'great sister' part, she was like, "Wait, Lissa. If Exalt Emmeryn is your sister, doesn't that mean Chrom and you are, uh…"

"Prince and princess of the realm?"Frederick said. "Well, you got that right, June."

"What?! I thought… you said you were shepherds!" June protested.

"Well, we sure have a lot of sheep," Chrom joked.

"Then, that tattoo thing on Chrom's forearm…"

"That's the Brand of the Exalt! The Mark of Naga!" Frederick scolded her as if it was a really important. "How dare you to mock it as a lowly tattoo!"

"I didn't know it, Frederick!" June objected the great knight. "Then you're guarding Chrom and Lissa because…"

"It's my duty as a knight."

"Well, how about Sully?"

"I'm part of the Shepherds too," Sully clarified. "But I'm just a regular person, though. I'm no noble."

"And now so are you, June," Frederick added. "But that doesn't mean you've earned my trust as a companion."

"At least you've earned mine," Chrom continued. "Anyway, I think Emmeryn is already going home to the castle. We should go home as well."

"Well come on, June!" Lissa begged. "Let's go follow us!"

"Oh, okay."

Then, June followed the group to the Castle of Ylisstol.

"Ah, the Exalted Lady Emmeryn. She is such a poised and graceful lady with a pure radiant heart and true kindness. Her beauty is not merely on the outside, but also from the most inside of her heart."

"What the f—you're still here?!" Sully who was surprised with Virion's presence might already swear if Chrom and Frederick weren't around. "What the hell are you up to?!"

"Sir Chrom said I am able to stay as a Shepherd if I would like to," Virion answered. "And I would like to, so I am staying here. Now, if you may, milady, would you love to..."

"Get outta here!"

* * *

June and the others entered the castle. The first thing that was on June's face was her expression of both dazed and surprised. 'Fabulous' was an understatement for that castle. The wall and the flooring were covered of white marbles. The windows were made of stained glass. The lightings on the ceiling were bright and crystal clear. She didn't expect that Chrom and Lissa actually lived in such a vast castle. "Do you actually live here…?" June asked Chrom and Lissa without the daze disappeared from her face. "This is… this place is just…"

"Well, yeah," Lissa answered. "Let's go to the throne room!"

"For what?" June asked her again.

"To see Emm, of course!"

"Wait, I'm coming too?!"

"Yeah! We'd like to introduce you to her!"

"O, okay, okay."

* * *

"Welcome back, Chrom, Lissa, Frederick," Emmeryn welcomed her both siblings and the bodyguard. "I'm glad that all of you come back safely."

"Emmeryn!" Lissa cheered.

"And I suppose you have brought us a new companion, Chrom," Emmeryn told him as she saw someone who was new to her. "And she probably has her own custom."

June who was bowing to Emmeryn knew that the exalt was actually talking about her. "Oh, yes. Pardon me, Your Highness."

"Oh, I almost forgot. This is June," Chrom introduced the new girl to his elder sister. "We found her in the middle of the field yesterday."

"She claimed that she had lost her memories," Frederick added. "But that's it, a claim. There's still a chance that she's also a brigand, or maybe a Plegian spy herself."

**Now**_ you're not calling me blasphemous,_ June thought while glaring at Frederick.

"Thank you for staying cautious as usual, Frederick," Emmeryn told him. "Chrom, do you trust this woman with your very own will?"

"I do, sister," Chrom answered humbly. "She helped us fighting the enemies twice. She's also such an able tactician. I believe that having her by our side will give us advantage in battlefield."

"If you say so, Chrom," Emmeryn said later. "You may stay with us, June."

"Thank you, Your Highness," June thanked the exalt as she bowed to her again.

"Anyway, June," Lissa talked to her. "There's another place that I wanna show you!"

"Huh? Where is it?" June asked.

"Just come with me!" Lissa cheered happily as she pulled the tactician's hand to follow her.

"Speaking about Plegia," Frederick reported when the two girls had already left. "Apparently they have been sending brigands to attack villagers. Yesterday was the third time this month. We may need reinforcements."

"But we don't have enough soldiers," Chrom said. "What do you suggest, Emmeryn?"

"Maybe we should negotiate with Regna Ferox," Emmeryn suggested. "They can have us backup soldiers we may need."

"I heard that Plegian brigands have been attacking Regna Ferox too. We may build an alliance with them," Chrom said. "We'll go, then."

"As you say, milady," Frederick obeyed as well.

* * *

"They will be back, they won't be back, they will be back, they won't be back," a copper-haired girl with pink-purple outfit was picking a flower's petal each one by one.

"There are _**too**_ many flowers here, Sumia," said a blonde haired girl—most likely around Lissa's age. "You are still doing the flower fortune? I am also worried about my dear Lissa. I just do not think that the flower can actually tell what happened."

"But, but, Maribelle…" Sumia was desperate.

"Teach is basically worried about Chrom," a shirtless guy who called himself 'Teach' said. "But don't worry, he's a tough guy. That's why he's worth to be The Vaike's rival!"

That was when two young girls and a half (?) barged in.

"Oh! They're back!" Sumia said happily.

"TA DA!" Lissa entered the camp, still holding June's hand tightly. "Welcome to the Shepherds' camp!"

"Hey there!" Sully passionately cheered people around there.

"Uh, hi everyone," June also greeted everyone, but groggily, because she didn't know what else to say.

"Oh, hi! You girls are back!" Sumia happily waved her hand. Then she walked towards June, but she tripped. "KYAAA!"

"Um, you need help?" June offered her hand to Sumia, still nervously.

"Oh, yes. Thanks," Sumia thanked June as she reached her hand and got up. "Wait, where are Captain Chrom and Frederick?"

"They're still in Ylisstol," Lissa answered. "They should catch up later."

"Lissa my dear! Are you alright?" Maribelle asked her dear Lissa frantically as she ran towards her.

"Oh, hey Maribelle," the cleric happy-go-luckily responded. "I'm great. See? No scratches."

"'Oh hey' yourself!" Maribelle replied. "I was dead worried about you! I thought… I thought… Uh… never mind. At least you're safe and sound now, my dear."

"So who's this stranger?" Vaike asked as he glanced at June.

"Well, no one's _stranger_ than you, Vaike," Lissa joked on him. "But behold! Ladies and gentleman, and um, _Teach_—"

"Wait, who's the gentleman if Vaike is 'Teach'?!" Sully half scolded. Once she realized Lissa's point, she yelled, "WHAT?!"

"_**Anyway**_, I present to you, Your Gracefulness Lady June! She's our new tactician! Seriously, she's awesome! She can do like, anything! Swords, sorcery, tactics…"

"No, really, Lissa," June blushed. "I'm not like that, I'm just—"

"Great! Can you do this?" Vaike burped very loudly, it almost can be heard by people in downtown Ylisstol. "If you can, then you'll be Teach's new rival!"

June was awed by The Vaike's really, _**really**_, loud burp. Then she said, "Whoa, that's… that's quite… bizarre, I would say, uh, 'Teach'. You kinda sound like a frog, hee hee."

"Vaike! That is such an unspeakably horrific thing!" Maribelle scolded. "And June, do not encourage him like that! I hope you were made of finer cloth!" She threw her face away from June and Vaike as she walked away, leaving everyone else.

"Uh, nice to meet you too?" June awkwardly, but sarcastically replied. "Why, excuuuuuse me, princess…"

"Maribelle, you're not supposed to act like that to someone you just met!" Sumia protested. "Sorry, June. She's always cold like that to strangers. But don't worry, she'll warm slowly."

"Or she burns too quickly! Ha ha ha," Lissa added.

"Hi everyone!" Chrom greeted as he and Frederick entered the camp.

"Oh! Captain! Frederick!" Sumia welcomed them and ran to them, but she tripped again. "HUAAAH, sorry! I'm sorry!"

"It's alright, Sumia," Chrom calmed her down. "Anyway, I have news for everyone in Shepherds."

"News? What news?" Lissa asked.

"We're departing to Regna Ferox tomorrow morning," Frederick answered. "We're going to ask them for reinforcements. Everyone in the Shepherds is coming."

"We need reinforcements?" Vaike said. "Get outta town! The Vaike is strong enough to handle brigands."

"Uh, I'm not sure about it," Sumia hesitated. "What if all I do is messing up?"

"I believe that you won't, Sumia," Chrom ensured her. "Some things can only be learned in battlefield. You can only gain experience if you have been in a real battle."

"Besides," June added. "I'm actually glad having another girl just around my age. We can share our stories in free times, Mia."

"Did you just call me Mia?" Sumia asked June.

"Do you have any problems with it?" June asked back.

"Actually, no," Sumia answered. "Anyway, is your name a short of Juniper or…?"

"No, it's just June. As long as I remember, at least."

"Uh, can I come too?" asked someone who was around there.

"Oh, and don't forget to tell the others who haven't known yet!" Chrom told the others.

"Sure!" Vaike exclaimed confidently.

"Hello? Anyone?" the previous person asked again. June heard him as she remained frozen for a second. She said, "Is this just me? Or did anyone else hear voices around here?"

"Nah, it's just you," Sully told her.

"But, but… but I'm right here," the 'voice' that June heard said.

* * *

June 24th, 845 A.D.

"Ah, milady, here you are. I have been waiting for you to…"

"What the f—you're still here?!" Sully who was surprised with Virion's presence might already swear if Chrom and Frederick weren't around. "What the hell are you up to?!"

"Sir Chrom said I am able to stay as a Shepherd if I would like to," Virion answered. "And I would like to, so I am staying here. Now, if you may, milady, would you love to..."

"Get outta here!"

"I believe that we have been through the very same conversation earlier yesterday, milady."

"You think I give a damn about it?!"

"Milady, if only you give me a chance to—"

Before Virion could finish his sentence, Sully's foot had already landed on his face.

"Ah, love does feel hurt, does it not?" Virion said about getting kicked by the mad woman.

"What?! You want some more?!" Sully shouted at him.

"Why, those two are getting along," June commented about them.

"Waaah, wait!" a guy with green armor and messy charcoal gray hair ran to the Shepherds' group. "Why am I the last one to know about the expedition to Ferox?! I didn't even get to finish my breakfast yet! There were pies, muffins, cookies, bacons, salads, cereals, curries…"

"T, those, those are your breakfast?!" June hardly believed what she just heard. Somehow, that was the thing bothered her the most.

"Oh, sorry Stahl," Lissa apologized to him. "It's Vaike's fault for forgetting to tell you earlier."

"Forget? The Vaike never forgets!" Vaike objected. "The Vaike just, uh, don't always remember."

"Just admit it already, Vaike," Lissa objected back. "You always forget things, like where you put your axe! I'm sure that you'd even forget your own name if you don't keep mentioning it like that!"

"Hey, I only forget my axe once! Training sessions don't count, okay?!"

"Why, those two are getting along," June commented about them. It was three second before June realized something terrible had just happened. The round head of her fluffy doll had already inside Stahl's mouth. June was shocked, but she was still quick enough to save her little friend from the devilishly good looking beast who was trying to devour it.

"What are you doing?!" June was surprised. If she was Sully, she would've explicitly sworn and cursed on Stahl like crazy.

"I'm just tasting it!" Stahl answered innocently. "Turns out it's delicious."

"That's a rhetorical question!" June scolded him again. "It's not a food! It's…"

"It's… what is it?" Stahl wondered about June's words that hadn't been finished yet.

"Ugh, screw it," June dismissed the topic and hugged her doll tight, instead of finishing her previous sentence.

"Oh, okay," Stahl accepted. "Hey, that doll is actually kind of cute."

"Said a greedy monster that just tried to eat it," June countered him, pouting.

"By the way, you're June, right?" Stahl asked. "So you're the new Shepherd whom Miriel said about."

"Miriel?" June asked back, hearing a new name to her.

"She's one of us, too. She should be catching up later."

"I suppose you do not forget about me, do you?" Virion who suddenly appeared out of nowhere asked Stahl.

"Uh, who are you?" Stahl asked back.

"I am Virion, the archest of the archers," Virion started bluffing again. "I am the man who puts 'arch' in 'archer'. I am myth and legend! I am he who strides large across history's greatest stage!"

"…I don't get it," Stahl said with a bubbly tone.

"You don't have to, Stahl," June told him. "Just leave him be."

"Ah, milady," Virion talked to June. "It is an honor of mine to be working with such a graceful queen of tactics like you. Now, will you marry me?"

"No, Virion," it was Lissa who answered him instead of June herself. "I'm pretty sure she's already in love with Jumpy, even if she doesn't remember. So she wouldn't just marry you that easy."

"Who is this Sir Jumpy?" Virion asked again. "Is he noble? Or is he a mere commoner?"

"Noble or commoner, June loves him for who he is! Right, June?" Lissa said.

"Uh, yeah," June answered, despite her lack of certainty. "But, Lissa—"

"Oh, now that Lady Lissa is also here, I cannot decide between you, Lady June, or Lady Sully to be the most beautiful woman in the realm."

"Forget it, **_Sir_** Virion," Stahl verified. "Every woman is just beautiful in their different ways."

"I do know about it, Sir Stahl. That is the precise reason I cannot decide between three women."

"Pffffffffffffffffffffft…" Lissa then stuck her tongue out and burst it out to Virion.

"Lissa, you're not supposed to do that!" Chrom intervened. "That's not what a princess does! You said you want to be a graceful princess, don't you? Then stop doing that!"

"Hmph! Okay…" Lissa puffed her cheeks like a blow fish.

That was when the enemies came by.

"Uh, what are those?" Stahl asked. "They look… hungry... Aretheygoingtoeatus?!"

"No way, Stahl," Sully objected. "The only one who looks hungry is _**you**_."

"Which I always do," Stahl replied while. "I know! Maybe I can just eat them before they eat me!"

"What the—"

"Wait, aren't those the ones from last night?" Lissa who was still in the same pack was confused as well. "They're here again?"

"Apparently they now have name, milady," Frederick clarified. "They're called Risen."

"Risen?" Chrom asked.

"The providence named them, milord."

"So we have to fight them?" June asked no one particular.

"Oh yeah! The Vaike was born to be ready!" Vaike exclaimed confidently. "Teach is always ready to swing his…uh…" As Vaike tried to grab his axe, he realized a bitter reality.

"My axe! Where's my axe?!"

"This isn't time to play around, Vaike!" Chrom scolded him.

"No seriously, Chrom!" Vaike said again. "My axe's gone!"

"What?!" June was surprised as well. If she was Sully, she would've explicitly sworn and cursed on Vaike like crazy.

* * *

**Battle Area: [The Northroad]**

**Victory: Rout the enemy**

"Vaike, are you good in bare hand combat?" June asked the Teach. "You know, so you won't have to be completely helpless while the others are struggling."

"Of course I am!" Vaike passionately exclaimed. "Oh yeah! The Vaike was born to be ready! Teach is always ready for battle!"

"Good then. Liz, you stay with him, just in case he got wounded!"

"Sure!" Lissa obeyed June. "Uh, you meant me by Liz, right?"

"Yeah. Oh, Sully. You, Fred, and Chrom can go to the western side."

"Roger!" Sully replied.

"Stahl, you go with me to the northeast."

"Ditto!"

"I suppose I am going with you too, milady?"

"Okay, whatever…"

"Now listen, everyone," Frederick told everyone around there. "Especially those who _**brought**_ weapons. The weapon triangle is very important here! Swords have advantages against axes, axes have advantages against lances, and lances have advantages against swords!"

Everyone around there obeyed the great knight, except their beloved tactician girl. She questioned, "Uh, exactly what's a weapon triangle?"

"Really, June?" Stahl asked her back. "I thought you're a tactician. Didn't you learn about it?"

"No, not really. I, uh… it's just everyone else who concluded me to be one, okay? I never claim myself as a tactician. Besides, where's the logic about it? What I know is… swords have best accuracy but least damage, while axes have most damage but worst accuracy. Lances are in between."

"You do know about it, huh?"

"Yeah, but I don't really care about which beats which."

"Milord, may I say something?" Frederick asked the prince.

"What is it, Frederick?" Chrom responded.

"June maybe an able tactician, but we have kept her working relentlessly," the lieutenant answered. "Sometimes we should give her some rest, and we take decisions by our own."

"No, Fred, you get some rest," the tactician objected. "If you don't believe in me, then I won't believe in you either. I mean, just because I don't understand about weapon triangle…"

"Then I'll believe in you, June," Chrom told her. "I believe that your strategies will bring victory for us, and also protecting our safety."

"*sigh* you're not really helping, Chrom," June replied. "Anyway, I'm not going to believe anyone around here to take their own decisions. Stahl, we get the [soldier] over there! Also the ruffles, uh, what's your name again?"

"Virion it is, milady," Virion responded her.

"Oh yeah, Virion! We go to northeast!"

"But that's a lance user!" Stahl protested.

"Well…" June protested back. "I also have a tome! Plus Virion is an archer, so the swords won't be big deal for now!"

"Whatever…" Stahl dismissed as he stumbled on something. "Eh? What is this? Is it edible? I haven't eaten anything in minutes."

**Stahl found a [Log].**

"That's a log, Stahl," June told the green horseman. "You're not seriously going to eat it… are you?"

June was too late. Stahl's small mouth—not that small, but the log was a big one—had already devouring that log, and his jaws were already crunching a piece of it. Her face turned dumbfounded as if she had just seen a dancing snowman.

"Hmmm… it's yummy," Stahl commented about the taste of the log. He offered the hooded tactician his meal. "Hey June, you want to try some?"

"No thanks. Anyway, you're supposed to use that log as a lance, not eat it!"

"Great. Then I can have it for myself, since I didn't get to finish my breakfast due to this expedition to Ferox. Not to mention there are these… uh… what's the name again?"

"Risen?"

Unlike those two, Virion turned out to be actually serious. He shot the soldier without getting countered—he's a long-range specialist, after all. June realized Virion's circumstances, then she double-casted her Thunder against the very same soldier lethally.

"See? Swords aren't big deal!" June showed off her point to Stahl. "Anyway, that's a fighter over there. You can get that one, since weapon triangle _**is**_ a big deal to you."

"Okidoki!"

"HYAAATT!" Sully shouted as she attacked a [myrmidon] with her lance. The myrmidon still countered her with its sword, but Frederick was quick enough to protect her. Frederick then helped her by attacking it as well. Chrom who wasn't really far from there countered a fighter. But he got counter-attacked.

"Milord!" Frederick yelped. Then, he attacked that fighter. He wasn't hesitated at all when it comes to Chrom.

"HEAAAAH!" Vaike head-butted a cavalier's horse and kicked the rider. Lissa also helped by smacking her staff—yeah, she did—to a soldier. "Yeah, the staff is awesome! Weapon triangle isn't valid!" Lissa passionately shouted. That was when a red-haired woman with spectacles—respectively Miriel—came while bringing an [iron axe].

"Splendid!" Miriel said. "I wondered what manner of ignoramus would mislay their weapon. Now I know."

Miriel went to catch up with the owner of the axe—Vaike it is. Before another Risen could bear an attack on her, she casted her [Fire] magic first. Then she gave the axe to Teach.

"Gee, thanks, Miriel," Vaike said to the [mage]. "Uh, for the axe, anyway…"

Miriel sighed and continued, "I presume that the axe is yours, due to you being most likely the one to blasphemously misplace their weapon. You ought to properly secure your possessions, Vaike."

"Well, you're right about it," the blonde fighter replied.

June who was northern from them slashed with her sword stronger. "Time to tip the scales!" she said as she blew a critical hit to a [mercenary]. Then she got a new [iron sword]. _Yes,_ she thought to herself. _I'm close enough from D-rank swords by now. My tomes still have to wait, though._

Stahl and Virion had gone more northern, away from her. After clearing up the Risens around them, Virion went into an empty fort to eventually heal his wounds, since he was less defensive than Stahl. At the western area, Sully, Frederick, and Chrom had already finished as well.

"I think we should take a rest for now," June told everyone. "Let Liz heal each of us, it can be her training. Plus I'm quite sure that those from far north wouldn't make any moves yet."

"Right, if you say so, June," Chrom confirmed.

"Yeah! You're our top percentage tactician, after all," Stahl added on.

Lissa then went to everyone else who were gathering northern away from her. She healed any possibly hurt Shepherds with her staff.

"Thanks, Liz," June thanked the young cleric. "I owe you."

"Well," Lissa wink-winked. "It's just not as much as Jumpy owes your heart."

"Eh?!" the tactician could feel her face reddened up.

"You must be madly in love with him. Last night, when I was still awake, I misheard you mentioning 'Jumpy' several times, in your sleep. I thought that you were dreaming about him, either good or bad. He must be really, _**really**_ special to you if he still appears in your dreams, despite of you don't remember your memories of him."

"LI, LISSA!"

"Ahh, love is in the air," Stahl commented about the blushing girl. "I love food…"

"Studies have shown that ambition nourishes even the most logical minds," Miriel added on. "I believe your dream about Jumpy holds a peculiar phenomenon."

"_**Anyway**_, since everyone is now fully healed," June changed the topic as if to save herself from farther embarrassment. "Let's just clear all the remaining Risens at the north!"

_Besides, why is everyone suddenly talking about Jumpy as if they know him so well?!_ June's inner voice spoke. _It's not like I even remember anything about him. Not to mention 'madly in love' like Lissa said. Even if I am…_

"You heard what she said!" Chrom exclaimed. "Let's go!"

Sully was the first one to move forward. She landed her lance to a different barbarian. But the barbarian could still counter her. Stahl went to catch up with her and he lethally attacked that barbarian with his sword. Stahl continued eating his log as he thought, _June said that the log can be used as a lance._ _But I want to eat it! It's too delicious! Also the opponent uses axe and this log is too weak as a lance. So I decided to use my sword instead._

"HOI, STAHL!" the red cavalier scolded. "Why the hell are you eating a log during a battle?"

"Because I'm hungry!" the green cavalier simply whined about the same thing.

The brunette tactician sighed, as she casted her thunder to a fighter. While the 15-year-old cleric smacked another Risen with her staff, Teach continued axing, punching, and kicking nearby enemies. The smart mage also helped by casting her Fire as well. Chrom slashed a mercenary with Falchion and Frederick stabbed it with his lance.

"Teach just did 1000 sit-ups and didn't even break a sweat. Oh yeah!" Vaike passionately exclaimed. "These enemies are nothing to the Vaike!"

"I'm _**so**_ hungry…" Stahl still complained about the very same thing. "Battles are very exhausting. I wish I can get some cream soup, grilled ribs, mashed potatoes, and fruit cocktail for lunch."

Then, the most ferocious looking Risen—presumably the boss—struck June with its [hand axe]. June shrieked, as she fell to the ground and grunted for the pain. Fortunately, June could still counter the boss with a Thunder cast. Helped by Stahl's sword slash and Vaike's sucker punch, the Risen boss was finished.

**STAGE COMPLETE!**

"So these 'Risen' things have been seen in Northroad too," Chrom said. "This is obviously not good."

"We should stay wary, milord," Frederick added on.

* * *

By the sun was on its peak, June was walking around the campsite while mumbling a particular song she didn't seem to remember. Chrom had told everyone that they would camp there since Ferox was still way too distant from their current spot. That was when she spotted someone on the top of a tree, and he was most likely up to something peculiar.

"…Vaike?" June asked that someone. "What are you up to out here?"

"Eh? Me? Up to? Nothin'! Har har!" Vaike replied the brunette girl. "Yessir, just a whooole lot of nothin'."

"Nothing? Really?" June didn't believe him.

"Oh lookie there! Pretty flowers!" Teach distracted the tactician as if to save himself from further embarrassment. "I sure do love me a pretty flower, don't you? Yep! Love 'em. All of 'em!"

"Yup. Pretty flowers."

"Say, what's your favorite flower, June?"

June blankly stared at Vaike for a few seconds, stayed silent for a while as if to think about something, and then she said, "Okay, Vaike. Now I _**know**_ you're up to something."

"Har har! Nope, not me! Just lookin' at all them pretty flowers is all," Vaike still tried to defend himself. "Nice, ain't they?"

"Liar," June accused. "You're trying to see who's bathing in the spring over there, aren't you?"

"S- spring? There's a spring? Why, I had _**no**_ idea!"

"Don't play dumb with me, Vaike! Now stop leering and get back to camp."

"Aw, come on now!" Teach protested. "You don't understand! You ain't a man! Sometimes a man's just gotta… see what can be seen, ya know?"

"No, I don't. I'm not a man, thank goodness."

"Right little goody two shoes, ain't ya? Interrupting my fun just when… oh, fine. Guess I'm done lookin' at them flowers. But don't you think you can keep me—huh?" Vaike's eyes stopped at a particular animal. "What the heck is that?"

"That's a horse… I guess?" June wasn't certain. "A horse with… wings? Pegasus, maybe?"

"Pegasus?!"

"Pegasus. But… it's a fierce looking brute. Do you see how it's glaring at us? It's almost as if—"

"IT'S GONNA CHARGE! RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIIIIIIIFE!" Vaike howled like horror as he subconsciously grabbed June's forearm and pulled it.

"What the—but, but—I didn't do anything!" June objected, but then she realized her life—and Vaike's too, in this case—come first. "KYAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

Vaike and June were already running. Actually, it was only Vaike who tried to run as fast as he could for his life—June was only pulled by him without knowing what was going on. In the middle of their escape, June could feel someone else's body bumped right onto hers, as her foot stumbled on a stone on the ground, twisting her ankle. That body then fell on the top of June as the tactician could felt an elbow hit her ribcage, causing her half-recovered wound—due to the hand axe of the Risen boss—to reopen. June yelped as she realized that her forearm was already free from Teach's grab.

"S, sorry, sorry," a petite voice of a girl—respectively the owner of the body that bumped her—frantically spoke. Just as she got up and left the other poor girl still on the ground, she quickly approached the raging Pegasus. Then, she softly petted the creature. "Shhh, good girl," she said. "Calm down, Clair. It's okay…"

"Mia?!" June realized her bumper, but then she hissed of her pain on her ribcage. "Since when did you get here?!"

"Uh, just now," Sumia answered. "Please forgive Clair, okay? Sometimes she just rages when there's a stranger."

"Well…" June said again, interrupted by a grunt of pain, and then continued, "Say that to Vaike. I'm pretty sure _**he**_ started it. I didn't do anything."

"Oh yeah…anyway, are you alright, June?"

"Why, I'm—ugh… sort of? Despite of the ribcage wound and twisted ankle—"

"WAAAAH!" Sumia shrieked. "It's my fault for bumping you, then! You're _**totally**_ not fine! We have to get you to Lissa! Hurry up!"

* * *

_Sorry if I'm kinda slow this time. It's reality's fault-_- Also, sorry if this one's kinda too long._._

_I don't know why, but I keep calling a burp sounds like frog. Maybe because of whoever taught me back in my childhood, I can't forget it until now. Ha ha ha… _

_Speaking about Stahl's hair, it's charcoal gray to me, yes, not green. My Stahl married Cordelia—best way to find out his real hair color because Severa sure has so much hair. It'll be easier to see Stahl's hair color on her: charcoal gray. While Sumia's hair is harder to conclude, because my Cynthia's hair is blue—you get it, right? Let's just say it copper, hahaha._

_Did any of you actually depend on weapon triangle? To be honest, I don't really remember about it. Moreover, when my army is mostly of swords and lances, I was pretty sure that the users are strong enough to beat the weapons 'above' them later on._

_Anyway, thanks for reading :)_

_-Ellie_


	4. Frozen Flower Fortune

**I changed the cover picture. The updated disclaimer is available in Chapter 1.**

* * *

June 25th, 845 A.D.

"Brrrr… I thought… I thought it's summer now…" poor tactician girl was shivering. She rubbed her hands against each other and relentlessly blew them. She held her cloak tighter to prevent it from flying away due to the snow blowing. All she currently wanted was warmth, how her being in someone's protective arms, he said to her that she would be fine—

_Ugh, what am I doing?!_ June quickly erased the preposterous thing from her head. _Who on earth I'm thinking about, Jumpy?_

Realizing her mentioning Jumpy, even in her own mind, the brunette's other side of persona said, _Come on, June. It's not like you remember _**anything**_ about him. Maybe his gender and name, but nothing else._

"Apparently it's always snowing in Regna Ferox," The Wary told her. "Even in summer."

"Huff… thanks for the information… Fred…" June replied, still shivering. Her answer somehow sounded sarcastic to Frederick—or maybe it's just his personal vendetta against her. Even after the things happened, he still doesn't believe in her as a friend.

"Brrrr…" the princess also shivered. "It's freezing out here..."

"I want a hot cream soup," the bed hair cavalier said. "Or maybe chicken curry... I don't know... I just want anything warm... Maybe the log from yesterday...can still do…"

"Stop whining, Stahl!" Sully protested. "You're not the only one freezing here!"

"Y, yeah, Stahl," Vaike added on. "Y, you shouldn't be... such a wimp...this weather...is nothing...for Teach...brrr..."

"Lol, Vaike," Sully replied the shirtless fighter. "You're not the one to say that."

"Sully is apparently correct, Vaike," Miriel told them. "Considering the fact that you aren't covering your body with appropriate clothing, you cannot speak about being resistant to this blizzard. Even June who is most likely wearing the clothing with most layers might still be hypothermic due to the not conducive surroundings."

"Ah, milady... You are freezing, are you not? Here, let me hold you..."

"NO!" Sully shouted as she kicked Virion's face. But when she realized it's getting colder, she wrapped her whole body again, still denying Virion's offer, "No, Ruffles… get outta here…"

"Stay calm, everyone," Chrom told the others. "We're going to find a shelter soon."

By time, the Shepherds had arrived at a fort.

"Excuse us!" Chrom said. "We would like your permission to enter Regna Ferox!"

"Go away!" said Raimi—the woman with [knight] armor.

"But we're from Ylisse!" Frederick justified the captain. "We're with Prince Chrom and we are here to meet the leader of Ferox in person! The exalt herself sent us here!"

"Oh yeah, and I'm the Queen of Valm!" Raimi sarcastically scolded them. "So what?! You think you're the first 'Ylisseans' to try to cross the boundary?! I'm pretty sure you are just one of those Plegian scoundrels!"

"What?!" Frederick couldn't believe what he clearly just heard. "But we _**are**_ truly from Ylisse!"

"Negotiation don't work here! If you truly are Prince Chrom, you shall prove it with battle!"

"What?! B-battle?!" June couldn't believe what she clearly just heard. "But that's just—that's practically blasphemous!"

Too late, hordes of lances were already flying towards Chrom. Poorly, the prince wasn't fast enough to dodge the attack. But someone else had finally saved him quickly.

"S, Sumia?" Chrom was dumbfounded, realizing himself was already on a pegasus.

"Better hold on tight, Captain," the younger girl told him. "Could get bumpy."

"Oh, okay…" Chrom awkwardly responded.

"You'll be fine," Sumia smiled at him.

"Oh, okay…" Chrom awkwardly responded.

Just as Chrom realized they were outside the pack, he reminded Sumia to fly toward the others. Then, she landed Clair just at the spot of the other Shepherds were gathering.

"Whew, Captain, I'm so relieved," Sumia said. "I'm so glad that you're okay!"

"Thanks, Sumia," Chrom told her.

"Anytime," Sumia replied as she heard someone coughing. Then, she looked at the green cavalier.

"What? I can't cough?" Stahl responded with carefree voice.

"Mia!" June called the pegasus knight as she ran to hug her. "Where have you been?"

"I was kind of late when you guys had departed," Sumia answered the tactician. "Oh, I found this axe lying on the ground back at the camp, too. I'm pretty sure this belongs to Vaike."

"Gee… thanks, Sumia," Vaike told her. "Uh… for the axe… anyway…"

Teach didn't realized that several pairs of eyes were glaring at him. "Hey Miriel," Sully—one of the owner of the eyes pair—asked the spectacle-wearing mage.

"Yes?" Miriel responded the hothead woman. "What is it you would like to speak of?"

"Remind me to teach him some stuff when we're done," Sully said. "I just wanna kick his butt."

"Milady, be not such an impatient woman. I suppose that Sir Vaike has his own conditions."

"Shut up Ruffles, no one likes you."

"Vaike, you blasphemous!" Lissa cursed. "When will you learn?!"

"Sully said that she's going to teach him later," June continued. "Anyway, can we just continue? You know, since that armor lady asked for battle. We can just, uh, 'convince' her that we're actual Ylisseans."

* * *

**Battle Area: [The Longfort]**

**Victory: Defeat commander**

"So, there are guards at each eastern and western gate," June started talking about her plan. "They consist of archers, soldiers, and fighters."

"Speaking of archers," Sumia added. "Captain Phila told that pegasi are fragile to bow attacks and wind magic."

"Well, then," the brunette concluded. "Mia's going to the east with me, since both of the archers are on the west. Vaike and Mira are coming, too."

"Mira… like, Miriel?" Vaike asked her.

"Yup. Chrom, Fred, Sully, Stahl, you guys go to the west, then."

"Alright."

"We shall do."

"Gotcha!"

"Ditto!"

"How about me?" the cleric asked.

"You can stay here for a while, Liz. As usual, we're going to suppress the enemy away from you. Then, you can heal us when I already call you."

"Got it!"

"I suppose I shall company Lady Lissa. She is such a delicate lady. I cannot leave her alone unprotected."

"I'M NOT DELICATE! Seriously, how many times I have to tell you?!"

"Now, what are we waitin' for?!" Vaike exclaimed passionately. "Let's go! The Vaike is ready! The ol' Vaike Colasour was born ready!"

"Oh, speaking of super effective," June said again. Chrom's Rapier will do against the armor lady."

As planned, each of the Shepherds went to where they were supposed to be. At the west, Chrom sensed someone particular.

_Hmmm, why do I feel like I'm being watched?_ Chrom thought.

"Excuse me, Captain…" someone suddenly spoke to him. "I'm right here…"

"Wha—Kellam?!" Chrom almost jumped seeing the tall knight. "How long have you been here?!"

"Quite long time, I would say…" Kellam talked again. "I've even already waved my hands to everyone. Uh, I'm still a Shepherd… right?"

"Uh, yeah, you still are… I'm sorry about it."

"It's okay, Captain… I'm fine… In fact, I'm still glad that you actually notice me…"

"Oh right, Kellam. You may join us here. Besides, your stealth ability can give us a huge advantage."

"Thanks…"

Kellam then attacked one of the archers over there—without being noticed, of course. Not just the archer himself, but also three other Shepherds who were also around.

"Hey, Sully, did you hear something?" Stahl asked the other cavalier.

"Nah, it's just you," Sully answered.

Meanwhile, the other four at the east side were fighting as well. Sumia struck a soldier with her [javelin], helped by June's thunder. As the soldier passed out, Sumia apologized to him, while June took a [door key] from the soldier. Miriel and Vaike were working together too, as the scatterbrain was distracted by something. "Huh? A present from one of ol' Vaike's fans? How thoughtful!"

**Vaike found a [Tree Branch].**

"This tree branch, uh, guess I'll just give it to Stahl," Vaike muttered. "I'm quite sure that he'd really love it."

"Yup, very thoughtful," June giggled at Teach. Then, she switched to the pegasus knight. She and Sumia continued fighting together, as the guards fell one by one. After they finished—Vaike and Miriel too—they took some rest as June called Lissa to heal them each.

"You can learn about this world from a pegasus's back. I see new things every day," Sumia said.

"Is that why you like flying on a pegasus?" June asked her.

"Yes," the pegasus knight smiled. "You should try it sometimes."

"Okay. Hey, will you go out with me? You know, hanging around together after the battle. Since we're girls around the same age, right? So maybe we have a lot of things in common, also I may get some information about whoever I was."

"Good then. I'll help you. I think we might even find anything about Jumpy."

"Eh?!"

"Hey, if you girls are done gossiping, can we go on?" Vaike interrupted.

"Oh yeah, after Liz heals the others at the western side, we'll continue."

"Yosh, I got the key!" Sully proclaimed.

"Be careful not to misplace it, Sully!" Stahl warned her, half-joking.

"Of course not! What am I, Vaike?!"

"No, Vaike's over there."

"Anyway, just open the gate, Sully," Chrom said.

"You betcha!"

Sully then opened the gate. June who was on the eastern already prepared herself as well. She looked back at Vaike, Miriel, and Sumia, and then unlocked the gate too.

There were already more guards over there, including Raimi.

Kellam launched his sneak attack first. He didn't really intend to sneak attack, but the enemy didn't notice him somehow.

"What the—who—" the brunette tactician who didn't notice him either jumped when he came out of nowhere.

"…Who are you?" the armored stealth knight asked back.

"Who are _**you**_?"

"Chit-chat later, help us first!" Sully warned those two.

Came back to reality, June attacked the other enemies round her. Her sword clashed with the soldier's lance, not that she cared about it. Covering Sumia from another archer nearby, her Thunder snapped on more Feroxi troops.

Meanwhile Chrom and Raimi were already face to face. As June told him earlier, he decided to use the Rapier because it is stronger against armored units. He attacked Raimi in one-shot —not that lethal, but enough to knock her out.

"It was true… you are… the real prince Chrom…"

**STAGE COMPLETE!**

* * *

"Liz! Lissa!" Where are you?" June frantically called the cleric. "We need first aid here!"

Lissa came to the source of the voice. Seeing the armored woman covered in wounds, she used her Heal staff.

After being healed by the young cleric, Raimi went back to her consciousness. She looked around people who were staring at her. The first was Prince Chrom—the real one, apparently. There was also a teenage girl with cage-skirted yellow dress—most likely the Lissa girl who was called by the other woman who was wearing purple cloak with brunette shoulder-length hair and currently glaring and pouting at her.

"What was that?" June scolded Raimi with hands on her waists, still pouting. "That's not how you're supposed to treat guests! It was totally blasphemous!"

"Forgive me, sir, milady," the knight apologized. "Apparently brigands from Plegia have been attacking Regna Ferox. They pretend to be Shepherds from Ylisse, especially Sir Chrom."

"And you just easily suspect everyone passing by?" Lissa objected. "I mean, don't you know how Chrom looks like? He's a prince, right? Isn't he supposed to be famous or what?"

"Anyway, I apologized about the misunderstanding. And now, I would like to take you to the Khan."

June was dumbfounded seeing Raimi's demeanor was a complete opposite from the knight they previously fought. She mumbled, "Why is she acting different all sudden?"

"Apparently we managed to prove that we're true Ylisseans," Frederick answered the curious girl.

"By simply defeating her?"

"By showing milord's true combat style. Apparently, milord has a distinguished fighting style and movements in battle."

The brunette girl's mouth formed an O, followed by a voice of understanding. Then she asked again, "Is it really necessary to battle?"

"People in Ferox prefer battle to politics. Or should I say, battle _**is**_ their politics."

The tactician's mouth pursed again.

* * *

"Finally, it's warm!" Vaike exclaimed as he and the others entered the Castle Ferox. "Anyway, Stahl, I found this tree branch back at the fort. Teach reckons that you'd like it."

"I sure would!" the green cavalier accepted with all his heart as he took the branch of the tree. "Thanks Vaike, you're a true friend. Sumia, you want to try some?"

"Eh?" the pegasus knight responded. "No, thanks. I—"

"Come on, Sumia. It's very tasty, trust me!"

Curious about the snack, Sumia took a bit of it. Then, she drove that little piece of wood into her mouth. She let her tongue to get the peculiar taste of menthol.

"Hmmm, you're right. It's quite tasty," the girl said.

"So Fred said that battle is politics in Ferox, hmmm?" June was talking to herself. "I wonder if the khan is some kind of big bald man, with a really thick chest hair…"

"Oh really? Do I look like one?" a woman suddenly responded almost out of nowhere that June almost jumped from her current place.

"No, no. Sorry, Your Highness, I—"

"Ha ha ha, don't worry! I forgive you!" the woman told her. "By the way, I'm Flavia, the East-Khan of Regna Ferox."

"Greetings, milady," Chrom politely greeted the khan. June bowed to Flavia, as she previously did to Emmeryn few days ago.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ylisse's very own prince," Flavia said. "What is it you want me to do?"

"I would like to ask you some favor. I see that Plegian brigands have been attacking both Ylisse and Regna Ferox. What I want to ask is we would like to form an alliance together. We would need some reinforcements, if you may."

"Sorry, but… I can't."

"But, you're the khan, right?"

"I am _**one of**_ the khans, apparently. I'm not the one who's reigning by now."

"What do you mean?"

"The reigning khan is determined by Regna Ferox Annual Warfield. It is a tournament held every year when each East-Khan and West-Khan sends their representative warriors to fight each other in a duel. The reigning Khan for next year is the one whose team wins. So, can you Shepherds be my representative warriors?"

"Wait. You use outsiders for this? You don't fight by yourself?"

"Well of course I use outsiders for this. If the khans fight by themselves, this nation will be full of dead khans everywhere!"

"Oh, fine then."

"Hey, you guys have a tactician, don't you? That must be an advantage, because I'm pretty sure the West-Khan will still use the usual."

"'The usual'?"

"Yeah. He's a prodigy swordsman raised by the West-Khan himself. He's so good, that the West-Khan has been winning in consecutive five years."

"Whoa…" June was awed.

"Which is why, if you want _**me**_ to give you reinforcements, you have to win the tournament for my sake."

"Uh, we don't really have to kill the opponents, do we?" June asked. "I mean, you said that the tournament is every year, so I can't really imagine so many people die annually for the khans' sake."

"Huh, I thought that any of the Shepherds might ask that. We may use battle for politics, but we're not that cruel, really. We have our own team of healers, in case anything happens."

"Well, anything _**will**_ happen…"

"So, when will the tournament be held?" Chrom asked.

"It's still in five days. The tournament is always held in June 30th every year."

"Good, then," Frederick said. "We still have time to practice."

"Right," Chrom added on.

* * *

A hooded figure was seeing through the Castle Ferox's window. His eyes focused solely on June. Not that he was stunned by the tactician's beauty like Virion was, but he was up to something else. It was as if June and he had known each other before.

"A tournament, huh?" he mumbled. _I'm sure your team will win that one. You're a gifted tactician, after all. Although I don't really think you've used your 'gift'… not in front of your new friends at least… I wish you good luck for now…_

"See you later at the tournament…" he said again. "…Kanny…"

* * *

_Can you tell me more about weather in Ferox? I mean, is it like North Pole in reality? You know, snow and stuff, that always happen, doesn't it?_

_I earlier wanted to make June 'kinda' sense someone at the west—if you know who I mean, so she would tell Chrom to check out. But a friend of mine told me that she's supposed to plan the whole thing before going to battlefield, so the battle scene can be more legit. _

_Okay, okay. Sorry for June's personality, even if I don't really intend to make her OOC, or idk, whatever. I'm exploring more of her being Junpei-complex, not being a soft and kind girl—we already have Sumia for that. I don't pick her as a tactician for no reason, though *spoiler-related*. _

_Up next is just a filler chapter. You know, the outside battle moments before 'The Regna Ferox Annual Warfield'. Featuring support conversations, mostly C Ranks, though. The story is kinda new. Anyhow, have a nice day!_


End file.
